Starling Fitness: Daily writings on Fitness, Diet, and Health

The plan is simple. Eat an apple before every meal and you will magically lose weight. When I first heard about the plan a couple of years ago, my first instinct was to wonder when the apple farmers of America had united and pitched in enough money to advertise this idea. My instincts weren’t far from the mark. The 3-Apple-A-Day Plan is sponsored by Get Fit Foods, whose major backer is the Washington Apple Growers Association (among others).

Eat more apples. It will make you healthy… really it will. I’m not just saying that because I have an apple orchard or anything…

• 3-Apple-a-Day

• Get Fit Foods “Partners”

If you aren’t eating any fruits and vegetables, then adding an apple before each meal gets a few extra nutrients into your body and provides you with a sense of fullness. More importantly, eating lots of fruits and vegetables is the best option, rather than sticking to one fruit. After a week of three apples a day, I’d be mighty sick of apples. It might actually make me eat LESS apples in the long run.

Watch out. Even the seemingly healthy ideas are backed by people trying to take your money. Choose a diet that is balanced and that you can live with. Adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet is a good option, but any plan that tries to convince you that one certain food is THE answer is just trying to take your money.

Same goes for you dairy folk… 3-a-Day

… and don’t even get me started talking about cabbage soup.